Bottle-crowning machine



J. H. KONEFES.

BOTTLE CROWNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31. 1919.

1,379, 106. l Patented May 24, 1921.

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II IMMIII J. H. KONEFES.

BOTTLE cRowNlNG MACHINE.

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BOTTLE CROWNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, |919.

1,379, 106. Patented May 24, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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BOTTLE CROWNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3|, 1919.

Patented May 24, 1921.

` 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I. H. KIINEFES.

BOTTLE CROWNING MACHINE.

.APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31. I9I9.

1,379, l O6. l Patented May 24,1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

JOSEPH H. KONEFES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-CROWNING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 24, 1921.

Application led March 31, 1919. Serial N0. 286,465.

To all whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, JOSEPH H. KoNEFEs a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, -have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle- Crowning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an efficient and durable bottle crowning machine of comparatively simple construction, by which crowning caps may be put on bottles of varying lengths, without adjustment,

Y with uniform ressure.

-In the drawlngs, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my machine, partially in section; Fig.'2 is a side-elevation of my machine at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional top views of my machine in the planes indicated by. lines 3 3' and 4 4, respectively, in Fig. 1; Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detaili views of one of the crowning heads of my machine and of the parts by which such crowning head is held and controlled, Fig. 5 being an elevation and Fig. 6 a section at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the cap-slide by which caps are delivered to, and inserted into, the throats of the crowning heads; and Fig. 8 is "a partly sectional, developed side elevation of such cap-slide in the pla-ne indicated by line 8-8 in Fig. '7.

Referring to the drawings, in frame 20, consistingof a b'se 21, top 22, member 2 3, and uprights 24, there is rotatably mounted a central vertical shaft 25, which is preferably provided at its upper end with horizontal beveled gear 26 and at its lower end withY a gear 27, and which carries, a short distance below top 22, spider-frame 28 and, some distance below that, a corresponding frame 29. Shaft 25 is preferably rotated by means of a beveled -gear 30, mounted on shaft 31, and engaging gear 26. Shaft 31 is preferably rotated, through suitable means of transmission, by 'electric motor 32, and alsov serves to operate, bysuitable means of transmission, `an automatic bottle-ca feeder 33 by which bottle caps are inserte in proper position, into a chute 34 for delivery, one at a time, to cap slide 35. Spiderframes 28 and 29'are each provided on theirv cylinders 36 and 37, respectively, each cylinder 36 belng located directly above correspondmg cylinder 37, so as to have the axis of each cylinder 36 coincide with the axis of corresponding cylinder 37.

Each pair of cylinders 36 and 37 is constructed, and carries operative parts, as followsz-A vertical crowning-head 38 is Slidably mounted in cylinder 37, and has a throat 39 provided with vertical slots 40 and 41 and held in position by nut 42, and carries a plunger 43 which is pushed down by compression spring 44, bearing on a flange 45 of plunger 43. In the upper end of crowning-head 38 and in cylinder 36 there is slidably mounted a vertical rod 46. A screw 49 is entered through a lug 50, pro- Jecting from head 48, into a threaded verti- -cal openingl in cylinder 36 for the double purpose of preventing head 48 and rod 46 from turning, with reference to cylinder 36, the elevation of head 48 and rod 46 by spring 47. In a substantially radial direction with reference to shaft 25'. there is entered into cylinder 36 -a screw 5l which carries, oscillatably deand of adjustably limiting,

pending therefrom, swinging hook 52. Be-

low, and slightly to the right of, screw 51 thereis entered lnto a transverse opening in the upper end of crowning head 38 a bracket 53 which is oscillatably mounted on horizontal pin4 inserted into crowning head 38 at right angles to screw 51. On. cylindrical one side in such a manner as to cause hook 52, when crowning head 38 is lifted suiiciently high, to automatically engage screw 58. Surrounding rod 46 there are mounted, in a suitable slot in bracket 53, located above the level of pin 54, one or more wedging rings -59, of which I prefer to useat least three. These vrings `59 are-provided with central openings slightly larger than the diameter of rod 46. In slots 40 and 41 are entered vertical finger 60 and a spring catch 61, respectively, the latter being provided with a slight recess 101 facing the center of throat 39.

On rotary bottle holder 62 which is carried by shaft 25 immediately above base 21', there are placed, one at a time, by means of a suitable conveyer, bottles 63 in such a way that each bottle is placed with its center substantially beneath the center of a crowning-head 38. Member 23, aside from bosses 64 by which it is connected to uprights 24, consists mainly of a circular shell 65 the upper edge of which forms a cam 66 directly beneath rollers 56. This cam is so sha ed that, following it in the direction in which shaft 25, and the arts carried by it, turn, it forms a descending track 67 from a point approximately above the station at which the bottles 63 are delivered to bottley holder 62; then at or near the station at which the crowning is accomplished, forms a low horizontal track 68; then forms an ascending trac-k 69; then forms another horizontal track 102; and then another ascending track 103, ending in the highest elevation 70 of cam 66 which is located at the edge of descending track 67; thus completing the circuit.l Elevation 70 constitutes the on y point on cam 66 at which crowningheads 38 are lifted sufficiently high for hooks 52 to automatically engage screws 5.8. Such engagement willalways occur at this place unless prevented by the means hereinafter described.

Above the middle of track 68 there is mounted, on the lower side of top 22, a roller 72 which is adapted to engage and depress each head 48 as it is being carried underneath roller 72; each head 48 being, to facilitate this operation, provided with inclined surfaces73 and 74. A vertical lever 75, fulc'rumed on horizontal pin 104, has a lower arm 105 which projects into the path of bottles 63 where they are delivered to bottleholder 62,'in such a way as to project the upper arm 106 of lever 75, against the presfeo sure of a spring 76, into the path of hook 52 of any crowning-head 38 under which a bottle 63 is placed, vso as to prevent the engagement of screw 58 of such crowning-head by such hook 52 at the time when such screw 58 passes elevation 70, stop 107 being provided to prevent u spring 76 throwing ar 106 too far outward.

Slide 35 which is designed to supply caps 77 to throats 39, is a curved plate, supported by any suitable means, ywhich extends under track 102 at such an elevation that it will supply a cap 77 to any crown-head 38 which is carried by its roller`56 over track 102, but will not supply a cap tp any crowning-head 38 which passes over it while beingcar'ried by a hook 52. Slide 35 is provided'onits outerside with an opening 78 through which caps 77 are received, one at a time, from chute 34, into a recessed chamber 7 9 ii which each cap thus delivered is temporarily held, from behind by the pressure of succeeding caps 77, and from advancing farther by a wart 80 which is projected by a lever 81 into its path; lever 81 being fulcrumed on a vertical pin 82 and actuated by a conveniently arranged spring 83. Chamber 79 is bisected by a vertical groove 84 arranged so as to coincide with the path of fingers 60, and to be traversed by these fingers in such a way that each such finger will push out of chamber 79, as the throat to which the finger is attached, passes over chamber 79, the cap 77 then held therein, overcoming the resistance of wart 80, on to inclined ridges 112 which rise from the outlet 85 of chamber 79, on both sides of the further path traversed by fingers 60, so as to extend upward into curved grooves 100 which are cut into throats 39 from below so as to accommodate ridges 112. Eachi cap 77, as it is pushed upward and forward on the inclines of ridges 112, being confined by the depending flanges of a throat 39, is quickly pushed upward into such throat until its lower edge enters recess 101 whereupon it is firmly held in' such4 throat between catch 61 and finger 60. f

Feeder 33 and chute 34 having been provided with caps in vproper position, and my machine having been started without bottles being supplied to it, but with lower arm 105 of lever 75,A pulled outward by hand -until every crowning-head 38 has been supplied with a cap 77 by passing over track 102 without being held in elevated position by corresponding hook 52, each crownin -head 38 will thereafter, on levr 75 being re eased, have its screw 58 automatically engaged by corresponding hook 52 on passing elevation 70 and will thereafter be carried around without its roller v56 touching cam 66, except at .point 70, until a bottle 63 is placed underneath it on bottleholder 62. When this happens, its hook 52 is disengaged from its screw 58 by lever 75 on'passing elevation 7 0, and roller 56' of such crowning-head 38 engages cam 66 and descends on position 67 thereof until cap 77 held in throat 39 of such crowning-head 38 rests on bottle 63 placed under such crowning head. From the moment this happens, such crowning-head 38 is carried by such cap 77 and the bottle 63 engaged by such cap, until its roller 56 is engaged by ascending track 69. At the moment when crowning-head 38 begins to be thuscarried, bracket 53, not being further supported either by hook 52 or cam 66, drops with its free end 55 and the parts attached thereto, vthereby pinching rings 59 against rod46'in such away that rod 46 cannot be moved downward without carrying with it rings 59,A and the Whole crowning head 38 in i bottle or other raccident, that a. crowningcylindrical portion of throat 39 over the cap 7 7 held by it, against the pressure of plunger 43 and of spring 44, and thereby compress- 'ing the depending flange 111 of such cap until cap 77 is iirmly attached to the bottle on which it rests, in a manner well understood vamong those skilled in this art. Inmediately thereafter, the highest point of head 48 having passed under` roller 72, crowning-head 38 is pushed upward by spring 44, thereby releasing bottle 63 from the contracted cylindrical portion of throat 39, while likewise head 48 and rod 46 are pushed upward vby lspring 47. Roller 56 then being engaged by ascending track 69, the whole crowning-head 38 of which it forms a part, first is carried upward; then is provided with a new cap 77 while passing track 102: then ,is carried upward by track 103 and elevation 70; and thereupon, if a new bottle is placed under it, descends again on track 67, and repeats the crowning process just described, but if no new bottle is placed under it, becomes suspended, in the manner heretofore described, on its hook 52 until this hook is disengaged, on` a subsequent rotation, by lever 75; thus avoiding as a rule the supplying of a second cap to crowning-heads still carrying caps previously received.

Should it happen, by the breaking of a head 38 which is provided with a cap 7 and which has descended on track 67, fails to crown a bottle and to thereby get rid of the cap 77 -held by it, then a second cap will of course be received into its throat as it passes over track 102; but such secon-d cap .cannot .be seated into the throat of such crowning-head because the` previously received' cap is still there; it will hence lift the whole crowning-head by pressure against the previously received cap, as the head passes overl the top of ridges 84, but will drop out of its throat again as soon as the crowning-head has cleared these ridges. A small vessel may be placed in position to receive all caps thus dropped.- and may be emptied periodically into feeder ,33.

By the means described I make it`possible for my machine to crown miscellaneous bottles of widely different'heights without special adjustment, yet with vsubstantially uniform pressure, also to supply the crownving heads of my machine with caps in a manner which almost absolutely avoidsall difiiculty from this source, and almost at any speed which is at all practical for machines of this kind.

While my invention is primarily designed for use in rotary machines carrying a number of sealing-heads, for the crowning of bottles, it is applicable as well to vother bottle-crowning machines, and may also be applied to the sealing of other containers.

I claim 1. In, a rotary machine for sealing containers, in combination with suitable means of support, guidance and actuation, means for holding containers; vertically movable sealing heads above the holding means; brackets on the sealing heads horizontally journaled near one end, and carrying horizontal pins on their free ends; rollers on the pins; vertical rods slidably projecting, through the brackets, into the Vsealing heads; locking members, adapted to automatically lock the sealing heads to the vertical rods, on downward movement of the rods, when the free ends Aof the brackets are allowed to drop; automatic means for pushing the vertical rods a fixed distance downward on passing the sealing station; automatic means for moving the vertical rods upward after the sealing station has been passed; and a circular cam surrounding the sealingk heads, so shaped as to support the rollers, and through them the brackets and sealing heads, during the greater part of the circuit of the machlne, but to gradually bring the sealing heads to rest on the containers as the sealing station is approached, then at' the sealing station not to support the rollers at all, and after the sealing station is passed, to reengage the rollers and to `lift them and, through them, .the brackets and sealing heads.

2. In a rotary machine for sealing containers, in combination with suitable means of support, guidance andactuation, means for holding containers; vertically movable sealing heads above the holding means; brackets in the sealing heads horizontally journaled near one end, and carrying horizontal pins on their free ends; rollers on the pins; vertical rods slidably projecting, through the brackets, into the sealing heads; wedging members carried by the brackets, adapted to automatically lock the sealing heads to the vertical rods, on downward movement of the rods, when the free ends of the brackets are allowed to drop; automatic means for kpushing the vertical rods downward afixed distance on passing the sealing station; ,automatic means for pushing the vertical rods upward after the sealing station has been passed; and a circular cam vsurrounding the sealing heads, so shaped as to supportthe rollers, and through them the brackets and sealing heads, duringthe greaterpart of the circuit of the machine, y but togradually-bring the sealing heads yto rest on the containers as the sealing sta# tion is approached, then at the sealing station not to support the rollers at all, and after the sealing station is passed, to rengage the rollers and to lift them and,

through them, the brackets and sealing heads.

3. In a machine for sealing containers, in combination with suitable means of support, guidance and actuation, vertically movable sealing heads, `having throats at their lower ends, a seal chamber below the path traversed by the sealing heads; automatic means for feeding seals into the seal chamber; members projecting from the sealing heads adapted to push seals out of the seal chamber as the sealing heads pass over it; inclined ridges, adapted to enter slots in the sealing heads, for elevating the seals pushed out of the seal chamber into the throats of the sealing'heads; automatic means within the throats for holding seals therein; and automatic means for operating the sealing heads so as to properly seal the containers passing throu h the machine.

.4. n a machine for sealing containers, in combinationwith suitable means of support, guidance and actuation, means for holding containers; a multiplicity of sealing heads adapted to aiix seals to the containers; automatic. means for feeding seals into the sealing, heads; automatic means for lower- ,ing sealing heads under which containers have been placed, for the sealing `of such containers; and automatic means for keepp slidably projecting into the sealing heads;

locking members adapted to automatically lock the sealing heads to the vertical rods, on downward movement of the rods, when the Sealing heads are brought to rest on the containers; ,automatic means for pushing the vertical rods a predetermined distance downward on passing lthe sealing station;

and automatic means for moving the vertical rods upward aftenthe sealing station has been passed.

6. In a rotary lmachine for sealing containers, in combination with suitable' means of support, guidance and actuation, means for holding containers; vertically movable sealing heads above 4the holding means; a

' cam surrounding the sealing heads; members adapted to engage the cam and to cooperate with the cam in lowering onto, and

Vthe telescoping members, on downward movement of the telescoping members, when the sealing heads are brought to rest on the containers; automatic means for pushing the telescoping members a predetermined distance downward on passing the sealing station; and automatic means for moving the telescoping members upward after the sealing station has been passed.

T. In a rotary machine for sealing containers, in combination with suitable means of support, guidance and actuation, means for holding a container, having an opening at its upper end, in vertical position; a sealing head above the container, adapted to hold a seal and by a downward movement to seal the container; an auxiliar member movable in the same direction as t e sealing head; a multiplicity of horizontally disposed rings, surrounding the auxiliary member, having openings slightly larger than the diameter of the auxiliary member, and adapted to be firmly engaged by the .auxiliary member on being brought into a slanting position; and a member holding said rings, connected to the sealing head, and adapted to transmit any downward movement of said rings, imparted to them by the auxiliary member, vto the sealing head.

8. In a rotary machine for sealing containers, in combination with suitable means `of support, guidance and actuation, means for holding containers; vertically movable sealing heads, adapted to seal the containers, above the holding means; a cam surrounding the sealing heads; members adapted to engage the cam and to coperate with the cam 1n lowering onto, and lifting rom, the containersA the sealing heads; and automatic means to prevent the lowering of any sealing heads under which no container is placed.

9. In a machine for sealingfcontainers, in

guidancel and actuation, vertically movable sealing heads, having throats at their lower ends; a seal chamber below the path traverse'd by the sealing heads; automatic means for feeding seals into the seal chamber;

'combination with suitable means of support,

members projecting from the sealin heads adapted to push seals out of the sea cham ber as the sealing heads pass over it; inclined ridges, adapted to enter slots in the sealin heads, for elevating the seals pushed out o the seal chamber into the throats of the sealing heads; and automatic means vfor operating the sealing heads so as to ro erly seal the containers passing throug t e machine. 

